Conversation · Volition

"I can see the similarity, yes." She breathes out, through her nostrils. The air smells of menthol.

"Funny," the lieutenant says softly.

"Funny how?"

"Nothing." He nods toward the yard. "I also saw him. We had a long inspection and that sort of thing... sticks with you. Let's move on."

In my dream, he thinks, he said I've failed his children... you glance at the lieutenant. Then back to her.

She fishes a cigarette out of her pack and lights it -- then looks at you with her lungs full of smoke.

"Better conclude this part of our talk."

"Oh yes." The young woman dips her cigarette into the lighter's flame and inhales.

"How do you see him?"

"You don't wanna know." She looks into the pack -- it's light green -- then pulls out a ciggy.

"You're in each other's arms."

"Yes. And then he's dead. His mouth agape..." She looks into the light green pack of cigarettes and pulls out another one, preparing to light it.

Agape? Ready to catch a bullet? A coincidence? Make a note and return to it later.

Say nothing.

You pissed it all away... All of it. Elysium.

"Are you sure you weren't raped?"

"I'm 89% sure."

"Got it. 89% is good enough. Moving on."

"Cool."

She sincerely thinks it's very cool of you.

"Does that mean you're 11% not sure?"

"You know how it is."

You do know how it is.

"I do."

"Sure you do, you disco animal..." She cuts you down to size with her light brown eyes.

"In conclusion, officer -- I'm gonna go with a mild to medium not raped here."

"It sounds like something happened, and you don't want to acknowledge it."

"Let me make this 100% clear then, officer. I was not sexually assaulted." She tilts her head. "Would I be as flippant if I had been?"

You get the feeling she's done enough opiates -- and needed enough NACRA -- to still be flippant if her arm were cut off and fed to her.

You get the feeling she might be.

"Sexual assault is a serious matter. I need a serious statement from you."

"Serious..." She takes a long, hard drag of her cigarette, then stretches her neck.

You hear cracking in her shoulders.

"Let me make this 100% clear then, officer. I was not sexually assaulted. Would I be this flippant if I had been?"

"No one deserves to be raped."

"I'm sure there's one person in the world who does." A crooked smile. "I mean, there are so many people. But let me make this clear: The man in that tree did not rape me."

The wording -- a verbal eye roll. She's almost disgusted with the platitude you served up.

"Okay then."

She takes a long, hard drag of her cigarette, then stretches her neck.

You hear cracking in her shoulders.

"Lieutenant, I don't know what to say about this."

"I'm sorry, miss, but we need a definite statement."

"Let me make this 100% clear then, officers. I was not sexually assaulted. Would I be this flippant if I had been?"

"Sure you do, apocalypse cop..." She cuts you down to size with her light brown eyes.

"Sure you do, detective..." She cuts you down to size with her light brown eyes.

"Actually I don't."

"Hmh..." She flicks a bit of ash away. "Maybe you don't..." The ash lands on her jumpsuit. She brushes it off.

There are numerous cigarette burns on those silvery scales -- easy to see now that you're closer.

"I may."

"How is it then?"

"Hmh..." She flicks a bit of ash away. "Maybe you don't know." The ash lands on her jumpsuit. She brushes it off.

"Do I?"

You may know...

Do you?

"So you're not entirely sure?"

"What did they hang him for, if not rape?"

"He had something to do with the strike. One has been roiling since I got here. Rotten timing..." She thinks. "But you probably know all about it."

"And his role in this strike was... what?"

"I think he was in a security detail. He was ex-military. Worked for Wild Pines -- and against the Union. We didn't discuss work much, if you know what I mean. But I understood it was dangerous."

"And they lynched him for it?"